At the NCAA Gender Equity and Issues Forum in Boston this week, the issue of childhood obesity was raised during one presentation. While student-athletes are generally perceived to be in pretty good shape when they get to college, administrators are wondering whether increased obesity rates may have an adverse effect on the quality of prospective student-athletes in years to come.

The American Obesity Association says that about 15.5 percent of adolescents (ages 12 to 19) and 15.3 percent of children (ages 6 to 11) are obese. While it is always important to emphasize a healthy diet and good exercise, the purpose of this post is to discuss whether these rising levels will impact what we see on the fields of play in future years.

Think about it - if more youngsters are significantly overweight, it would seem logical that a smaller pool would be physically prepared to succeed in college sports when the time comes. If a larger number of kids were active and healthy, the quality of student-athletes would seem to be greater.

If you don't think childhood and adolescent obesity will have an impact on the quality of student-athletes when they get to the college level, perhaps you might agree that injuries will likely become more pervasive for those who haven't lived a healthier lifestyle. If you're overweight throughout your life, you are probably more susceptible to debilitating injuries and illnesses that can keep you on the sidelines in college.

As large portions and stagnation continue to add pounds to children, is there anything athletics administrators can do to protect those who will eventually become student-athletes? As an industry, should we be looking at ways to make sure kids are healthier now, so they can prosper on campus later?